In 2007 the average size of a wedding was 153 guests. That number dropped to 131 by 2019. Until a vaccine is approved, older wedding guests may shy away from attending large gatherings, such as wedding celebrations, even after lockdowns end and businesses reopen.

The coronavirus fatality rate is minimal for those under 45 years of age, but more significant in older populations over the age of 70, especially among those with pre-existing conditions.

However, the FDA is fast-tracking new medications to treat the coronavirus. The first, Remdesivir, reduces recovery time by four days. According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases:

“The data shows that remdesivir has a clear-cut significant positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery.”

So that’s some good news.

What that means for your wedding plans

As you plan your guest list, you may only want to invite those older guests who are nearest and dearest to you. Grandparents. Beloved aunts and uncles. Etc.

On the other hand, you may shed older guests from your list that you don’t personally know, such as your dad’s boss or the mother of your mom’s best friend from college.

You get the idea.

The coronavirus impact may be entirely different on a different wedding trend. The Knot’s study identified a desire among couples planning their wedding to provide their guests with an ‘enriching experience’. That was the most important consideration for 72 percent of surveyed couples.

That trend will likely accelerate in 2021 as couples plan smaller weddings, opening up budgets for great options like decor lighting and photo booth to enrich the experience for their guests.

Fayetteville couples are often pressured by family to invite guests they don’t know, but their parents do. The coronavirus provides you a good excuse to moderate the size of your guest list at the same time you increase the entertainment impact.